International Football History and Statistics

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On this day in football history

1920 Jesse Pennington, West Bromwich Albion and England full-back, played in his last first class match when he appeared for Albion against Tottenham Hotspur in the annual contest for the FA Charity Shield. His side won 2-0. He joined the club in 1902 at the age of 18 and was to play over 500 games for them; 495 in the Football League. He was first capped for England in 1907 and immediately formed one of England's best ever full-back partnerships with Bob Crompton. He was still an international in his last season and made 25 appearances in all. With Albion he won a League Championship medal in 1920 and a Second Division medal in 1911 but, on the only occasion the club reached the FA Cup Final during his career (1912) they were beaten by Barnsley after a replay.

1931 Scotland were defeated for the first time by a continental side when they lost 5-0 to Austria in Vienna. It was also the first meeting between the two countries. The Scottish side, in fairness, was not fully representative since it contained no players from Celtic or Rangers. As against that, Scotland did not start playing international football outside the U.K. until 1929 whereas England, who suffered their first defeat against continental opposition in the same year, had played for 21 years undefeated.

1948 England were captained by Frank Swift in their international against Italy in Turin and won 4-0. This was the first time that a full England team had been captained by a goalkeeper. A native of Fleetwood, Swift made his debut for Manchester City at Christmas 1933 and won a Cup winners' medal five months later. To the outbreak of the Second War he missed only one match. Came into the England team in 1939 and appeared in 19 unofficial wartime internationals as well as 4 "Victory" internationals in 1945-46. He went on to win 19 official caps before retiring at the end of the 1948-49 season but, with City in financial difficulties, he did return to play four matches in the following campaign. He died in February 1958 as a result of injuries received in the Munich Air Disaster when travelling as a correspondent for the News of the World.

1962 Jack Kelsey, Arsenal goalkeeper, injured his back so severely while playing for Wales against Sau Paulo that he was forced to retire. Joined Arsenal from Winch Wen in 1949 and made his debut in 1951 but had to wait for Swinden to retire before becoming an automatic first choice. Won a League Championship medal in 1953 and appeared in 328 League matches for the Gunners. His first Welsh cap was against Ireland in 1954 and he went on to win another 39 before his injury.

1973 Leeds lose the European Cup Winners Cup Fianl 1-0 to AC Milan in Greece.

1985 A week after the disaster at Valley Parade the wooden stand at Torquay United is gutted in a fire.

1987 Unfashionale Coventry City beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 in the FA Cup Final in extra time.